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Previous Volume 354:1320-1321 March 23, 2006 Number 12 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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To the Editor: Casarett et al. (Dec. 15 issue)¹ claim that artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH) do not constitute "a basic intervention that can be administered by anyone. . . . ANH is a medical therapy administered for a medical indication."

There are two problems with this defense of the right to refuse ANH in this way. First, there is no consensus about the definitions of "artificial" and "natural." Once gastrostomy is performed, calling tube feeding artificial seems somewhat arbitrary. It is certainly not much more "artificial" than is artificial baby formula in artificial bottles.

Second, if ANH must be a medical therapy . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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